School Board Member Biography

Name: Mary Alice Dwyer Hughes

Phone Number: 290-8346

Occupation: Senior Legislative Aide for CT House Democrats

Elected to Board: 2007

Term Expires: 2011

Mary Alice Dwyer Hughes was born in Hartford and grew up in East Hartford.  Her interest in community service was passed down to her by her father, Bill Dwyer, who spent many years coaching little league teams and serving as a town council or, deputy mayor, and town treasurer.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Emerson College in Boston.  She lived elsewhere for a number of years, returning to East Hartford in 1994 and enrolling her three sons in the public schools.  Her oldest son is presently serving in the Coast Guard in Seattle; her second is a computer specialist working for the state; and her youngest is pursuing his master’s degree at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.  Since 2000, Ms. Dwyer Hughes has been a legislative assistant and team leader for House Democrats, working in the legislative office building in Hartford.  Prior to working for the state, she spent seven years as a photojournalist for the Hartford Courant.  Before joining the Board of Education, which she presently chairs, she served for ten years on the Town Council, six of them as majority leader.

Why are you a Board of Education Member?:
Ms. Dwyer Hughes believes strongly in public education and wants the residents of East Hartford to realize the strong, high quality education being offered in the district.  She is a team player who works with Town residents and administration to build outstanding educational opportunities for all students, for “as our school system goes, so goes our town.”  She is contributing to what she calls a “new vision”, helping to close the achievement gap and raise test scores.  She reaches out to the community to be involved, as well as such institutions as Goodwin College and Manchester Community College.  She would like to see the Exchange Club, the Rotary Club, the Women’s Club and others providing individual mentors for East Hartford young people.  As chair, she has worked hard to make the Board a cohesive unit, believing that, together, the Board of Education, the school administration, teachers, parents and students will prove that East Hartford’s schools are second to none.